View clinical trials related to Microbiome.
Filter by:The purpose of this study Is to evaluate if a 4 weeks probiotic VSL#3 treatment and a strict LFD for 4 weeks are equally good in treating IBS symptoms in IBS patients with diarrhoea or mixed predominance and further evaluate the long term effect. Hopefully this one year individualized web-based IBS study will generate a fundament (of course with possibility of future improvements of the web algorithm) that could be used as a treatment in the primary care/sector to IBS patients. This one year study will be carried out based on an eHealth platform ibsnoh.constant-care.dk, where patients after being educated to self-measure on the web-program and having a 4 week measuring period on the 'web' before randomization. The patients will fill out different questionnaires regarding symptom severity, adherence, stool consistency, quality of life, disease course type, food registration and weight. Some of the questionnaires are illustrated to the patients in a traffic light manner (Green, Yellow and Red). They will also self-measure Fecal calprotectin on their smart phones and send in fecal samples for microbiome analysis. In this randomized cross over study - 104 IBS patients will be randomized to either a diet low in FODMAPs (fermentable, oligo-, di- and monosaccharides and polyols, LFD) or the probiotic product VSL#3® for 4 weeks. The probiotic group will receive 2 sachets a day (450 billons live bacteria in one sachet) for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks intervention (LFD or VSL#3) non responders, defined as a reduction of less than 50 points in IBS-SSS will after two weeks wash out period be crossed over. IBS patients randomized to LFD and responds to LFD will after a reintroduction counselling with dieticians at North Zealand university hospital after 4 weeks on a strict LFD start reintroducing high FODMAP foods until symptom flare (individual defined as either Yellow or Red, >175 in IBS-SSS). Hereafter they will go on a strict LFD again until symptom remission (IBS-SSS below 175, Green zone) - LFD responders will continue with this procedure for 10 months. IBS patients initially randomized to VSL#3 and are after 4 weeks of intervention characterized as responders will not be offered a LFD. Instead they will self- measure on the web with no intervention after the 4 weeks of VSL#3 treatment. When/if they reach a symptom flare ( again individually defined as either Yellow or Red, >175 point in IBS-SSS) they will be offered another 4 weeks VSL#3 treatment.
Background: - Vaginal yeast infections are caused by a fungus called Candida. Candida can live harmlessly in the vagina, but most women will have symptoms from a vaginal yeast infection at some point during their life. Antibiotics increase the risk for yeast infections, but it is unclear why. They may disrupt the balance of healthy bacteria in the vagina. This could make it harder for the body to fight off yeast infections. Researchers will give healthy women a common antibiotic or a placebo. They will study how the antibiotic affects bacteria and yeast in the vagina and other parts of the body. This will let researchers study the normal changes of healthy bacteria and yeast over time. Objectives: - To see how the study drug changes healthy bacteria in the vagina, and how these changes may increase the risk for yeast infections. Eligibility: - Healthy women ages 18 to 40 who are not allergic to penicillin. Design: - Participants will be screened with medical history, physical exam (including vaginal exam), blood tests and tests for sexually transmitted diseases. - Participants must take birth control pills for at least 3 months before, and during the study. - Participants will take the study antibiotic or placebo for 10 days. - Participants will have 7 study visits over 3 months. Visits will be timed around participants menstrual cycles. - At the visits, participants will answer questions about their health and undergo tests. These may include swabs of the vagina, mouth and skin as well as blood tests. Vaginal fluid, saliva and urine will also be collected. - Between visits, participants will collect stool and vaginal samples at home and bring them to the next clinic visit.